Tether mechanism for airbag module

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tether mechanism for an airbag module having an airbag, comprising at least one tether arrangement (1), one end (1.1) of which can be attached to the airbag, and a tightening device (2) for the tether arrangement.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tether mechanism for an airbag module having an airbag, the tether mechanism comprising at least one tether arrangement, one end of the tether arrangement being attachable to the airbag, and a tightening device for the tether arrangement.

[0002] Such a tether mechanism may in particular be a component of an airbag arrangement for a vehicle seat, which comprises at least one airbag module with an airbag and is suitable for installation in the vehicle seat, where one end of the tether arrangement is attached to the airbag. The invention also relates to a vehicle seat for a motor vehicle, which comprises a seat back, a seat cushion and an airbag arrangement. [Background technology]

[0003] Such a vehicle seat with such a tether mechanism is known, for example, from US Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0248322 (A1). In an initial state, the airbag, which is particularly arranged in the lateral region of the backrest, is deployed after being triggered next to and / or in front of the occupant seated in the vehicle seat. A tether arrangement may be provided to guide the deployment process at least temporarily during deployment of the airbag, for example when the tether arrangement is in a tensioned state. It is also conceivable that the tether arrangement is unwound from a spool during deployment or is tensioned from a wound or folded state by the deploying airbag.

[0004] The tightening device is provided to retract the tether arrangement during deployment or at the end of the deployment process, thus influencing the deployment process or to bring the airbag to a final position after deployment. For example, a section of the airbag that is located in front of the occupant after deployment can be pulled towards the seat back by the tightening device, so that the occupant is also pulled towards the seat back. For example, from US Patent Application Publication No. 2019 / 0248322(A1) it is known to wind up the tether arrangement through a rotational movement by means of a tightening device. Summary of the Invention

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative for tightening a tether configuration.

[0006] This object can be achieved as defined in independent claim 1, further solutions and advantageous developments are defined in the preceding and subsequent description, the individual features of the advantageous developments being capable of being combined with one another in a technically reasonable manner.

[0007] This object is achieved in particular by a tether mechanism having the characteristics mentioned at the outset, in which the tightening device comprises a tightening element, which is preferably linearly accelerable, in particular by means of a pyrotechnic drive. It is also proposed that the tightening element deflects the tether configuration.

[0008] The tightening device may, for example, comprise a tightening tube in which a piston is arranged. For example, a gas generator may be used to introduce compressed gas into the tightening tube, thereby driving the piston through the tightening tube. In particular, the tightening element is connected, for example, by a traction cable, to a tightening element arranged outside the tightening tube.

[0009] In this connection, it may be provided that a deflection block, specially designed as a single piece, is attached to the tensioning tube, through which the traction cable is guided. Preferably, the receptacle is formed in the deflection block, in which the gas generator is arranged. Such an arrangement has the advantage, in particular, that the tensioning tube, when mounted, can extend obliquely to the linear movement direction of the tensioning element, which is connected to the piston via the traction cable. Thus, for example, the tensioning tube can extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, when the vehicle seat is mounted in the usual way in a motor vehicle, while the linear movement direction of the tensioning element extends transversely thereto.

[0010] Each tether arrangement can be made from a single tether band or tether rope, which is in particular made from a tension fabric. The tether arrangement can also be made from several tether bands / tether ropes connected to each other.

[0011] The tightening device is coupled to the tether configuration via the tightening element in such a way that the tether configuration is deflected by the tightening element at least before, after and / or during the tightening process. Thus, sections located in front and behind the tightening element in the direction of the tether are disposed at an angle to each other. For example, the tether configuration can be deflected by the tightening element by more than 60°, preferably more than 90°, or about 180°. The degree of deflection can be constant during the tightening process, but can also vary during the tightening process.

[0012] The tether arrangement and the linearly acceleratable tightening element are arranged in such a way that a kind of pulley system is formed. The linearly acceleratable tightening element and the tether arrangement are arranged in such a way that in particular the end of the tether arrangement attached to the airbag covers a longer distance during the tightening process than the linearly accelerated tightening element. For this purpose, the tether mechanism may comprise one or more diverters for the tether arrangement.

[0013] The invention further provides that the tightening device comprises a traction cable by means of which the tightening element is drivable. The use of such a rope, which can withstand tensile stresses but is otherwise flexible, has the advantage that the linear acceleration direction of the tightening element does not have to be collinear with the in particular linearly acceleratable element of the tightening device. Rather, the acceleration direction of the tightening element can be offset or arranged transversely with respect to the movement direction of the element directly accelerated by the tightening device. In particular, the tightening device has an element which is coupled to the tightening element via a traction cable and which is acceleratable to a linear movement.

[0014] The tether mechanism preferably comprises a guide device that guides the tightening element during the tightening process. The guide device is designed in particular so that the tightening element executes its linear movement on a path defined by the guide device. For example, a kind of cage can be formed, in which the tightening element is arranged and through which a traction cable extends. For example, the deflection block of the tightening device can be connected to the guide device by a Bowden cable that guides the traction cable.

[0015] In order to fix the other end of the tether arrangement, which is not attachable to the airbag, a bracket may be provided to which the other end of the tether arrangement can be or is fixed. Such a bracket may preferably be connected directly or indirectly to a guide device. In this case, the tether arrangement is preferably attached to the airbag starting from the bracket and is preferably deflected by a tightening element.

[0016] In this connection, it may be provided, in particular, that the bracket has a guide, for example formed by a recess or a hole, for a section of the tether arrangement that moves during the tightening operation. In this case, it is provided, in particular, that the tether arrangement in the guide is turned by 180° by the tightening element, so that the tether also extends during the tightening process from the bracket to the guide along the tightening element (which turns the tether arrangement by 180°) and from there out of the bracket. The parts of the tether arrangement and the tightening device that form the pulley are thus arranged in the guide device and are defined by the bracket.

[0017] In particular, it can be provided that the tightening element comprises a diverter pulley, in particular a diverter pulley mounted in a rotatable manner, whereby the tether configuration is diverted. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] The invention and the technical environment are explained below by way of example with reference to the figures, in which: [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows the tether mechanism. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the tether mechanism. [Diagram 3] Figure 3 shows the two tether mechanisms permanently attached to the vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] The tether mechanism shown in the figures comprises a tether arrangement 1 having a first end 1.1 and a second end 1.2.

[0020] The tether mechanism also comprises a tightening device 2 having a tightening tube 2.3 and a deflection block 2.4 attached to the tightening tube 2.3, which forms a receptacle 2.5 for the gas generator. A piston is arranged in the tightening tube 2.3, to which the traction cable 2.2 is connected.

[0021] The traction cable 2.2 extends out of the tightening tube 2.3 through a deflection block 2.4. A tightening element 2.1 with a diverter pulley 2.1a is attached to the free end of the traction cable 2.2. The tightening element 2.1 is arranged in the guide device 3 and is guided by the guide device 3 during the tightening operation. Furthermore, a bracket 4 is formed on the guide device 3, to which the second end 1.2 of the tether arrangement 1.1 is fixable. Starting from the bracket 4, the tether arrangement 1 is guided through the tightening element 2.1 and from there exits through a guide 4.1 formed in the bracket 4. The tether arrangement 1 is thus deflected by approximately 180° by the tightening element 2.1.

[0022] By using the traction cable 2.2, the linear direction of the tightening movement of the tightening element 2.1 can be freely aligned relative to the extension direction of the tightening tube 2.3.

[0023] To this end, Figure 3 shows the arrangement of the two tether mechanisms on a vehicle seat 5. It can be seen that the tightening tube 2.3 extends approximately in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle when the vehicle seat 5 is mounted in the vehicle, while the guiding device 3 having therein the linearly acceleratable tightening element 2.1 is aligned transversely thereto. [Explanation of symbols]

[0024] 1 Tether Configuration 1.1 First End 1.2 Second end 2. Tightening Devices 2.1 Tightening elements 2.1a Diverter pulley 2.2 Towing cable 2.3 Tightening tube 2.4 Turning Blocks 2.5 Receptacles 3. Guidance Devices 4 Bracket 4.1 Guide 5 Vehicle seats

Claims

1. 1. A tether mechanism for at least one airbag module having at least one airbag, comprising: at least one tether arrangement (1), one end (1.1) of which can be attached to said airbag; - a tightening device (2) for said tether arrangement (1); Equipped with 1. A tether mechanism comprising: the tightening device (2) comprising a tightening element (2.1) which deflects the tether arrangement (1); and the tightening device (2) comprising a traction cable (2.2) by means of which the tightening element (2.1) can be driven.

2. 2. The tether mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the tightening element (2.1) is linearly acceleratable.

3. 3. The tether according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tightening element (2.1) is pyrotechnically acceleratable.

4. The tether mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a guiding device (3) through which the tightening element (2.1) is guided during the tightening process.

5. A tether mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the tether mechanism comprises a bracket (4) to which the other end (1.2) of the tether arrangement (1) can be fixed.

6. 6. A tether mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that the bracket (4) comprises a guide (4.1) for a section of the tether arrangement (1) that moves during a tightening operation.

7. A tether mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the tightening element (2.1) comprises a diverter pulley (2.1a), in particular a rotatably mounted diverter pulley (2.1a).

8. 8. The tether mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the tensioning device (2) comprises a piston connected to the traction cable (2.2), the piston being arranged in a tensioning tube (2.3) and drivable by compressed gas generated by a gas generator (2.4).

9. 9. The tether mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the traction cable (2.2) is guided through a deflection block (2.4) in which a receptacle (2.5) for a gas generator is formed.

10. An airbag device for a vehicle seat (5), comprising: at least one airbag module, each of said at least airbag modules comprising at least one airbag and designed to be mounted on said vehicle seat (5); - a tether mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein one end (1.1) of the tether arrangement (1) is attached to the airbag.

11. 11. The airbag device according to claim 10, characterized in that the airbag device comprises two airbag modules, the two airbag modules being positionable on either side of the seat back, and a tether mechanism being assigned to each airbag module.

12. A vehicle seat (5) for a motor vehicle, comprising: - Backrest and - Seat cushion; A vehicle seat (5) comprising an airbag device according to any one of claims 10 or 11.

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